Opinion:
¶ “CNBC: How Tesla’s Battery Mastermind Is Tackling Electric Vehicles’ Biggest Problem” • JB Straubel, a Tesla co-founder and former CTO, started Redwood Materials, a recycling company, in 2017. CNBC interviewed him, and he talked about the importance of battery recycling. He said 95% to 98% of battery materials are recyclable and “good as new.” [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Could Ukraine’s Nuclear Industry Face Another Chernobyl?” • With Russia blocking coal production and keeping natural gas prices high, the Ukraine depends on nuclear power. But critics say the Ukraine faces a perennial crisis caused by corruption; safety issues that result from ageing, worn out reactors; and politicised decision-making. [Al Jazeera]
World:
¶ “Greenwashing EU Finance Law Sparks Walkout By Experts” • Environmental and consumer organizations are pulling out of an EU expert group in protest at an European Commission decision to classify destructive forestry practices and highly emitting types of biomass as sustainable investments. The new EC rules ignore the advice of scientists. [CleanTechnica]
European Commission (EmDee, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “China’s Biggest IPO This Year Looks To Be In Renewable Power” • China Three Gorges Renewables Group Co is set for an initial public offering that could be the biggest in the country this year after securing regulatory approval. The unit of China Three Gorges Corp plans to sell up to 8.57 billion shares in Shanghai, it said in a prospectus. [MSN]
¶ “Calls For Isle Of Man To ‘Move Forward On Renewable Energy'” • On the Isle of Man, 1% of the energy currently comes from renewable sources, with around 80% met by the gas turbine power station at Pulrose. The government aims to change that so that 75% of the island’s electricity is generated by renewable sources by 2035. [Manx Radio]
Isle of Man (oliver king, Unsplash)
¶ “Farmers Say They Want Renewables To Boost Income, Cut Costs” • Australian farmers are keen to send the message that the linkages between the agricultural and renewable energy sectors have the potential to be mutually beneficial for both, as the two industries are set to meet to share experiences and opportunities to work together. [Renew Economy]
¶ “Exus To Deliver 85-MW Portugal Wind-PV Hybrid” • Exus Management Partners, a sustainable investor, has been chosen to provide the complete end-to-end delivery of an 85-MW wind-solar hybrid project in northern Portugal. The company said it was chosen without a competitive bidding process because of its unique service package. [reNEWS]
Solar array (Chelsea, Unsplash)
¶ “How Renewables Could Kill Off Fossil Fuel Electricity By 2035: Report” • Solar and wind energy have the potential to meet global electricity demand 100 times over, and the costs of these renewables are falling so rapidly that fossil fuels could be pushed out of electricity generation entirely by 2035, according to a report by a UK think tank. [Forbes]
¶ “MPC Inks Columbia Solar Offtake” • MPC Energy Solutions has signed a power purchase agreement for solar project under development in Columbia. The 9.5-MW Parque Solar Los Girasoles will deliver around 23 GWh of clean energy a year over a 12-year period, starting in the second quarter of 2022, to Grupo Renovatio, an energy trader and supplier. [reNEWS]
Solar panels (G Ortega Castro, Unsplash)
¶ “EDPR Inks 40-MW Spanish Wind Offtake” • EDP Renewables signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with pharmaceutical company Merck for the output from a 40-MW wind farm in Spain. The project is expected to start operations in 2023. EDPR has secured 406 MW for projects in Spain that are expected to be operational from 2021. [reNEWS]
US:
¶ “Governor Newsom Takes Action To Phase Out Oil Extraction In California (Eventually)” • When Governor Gavin Newsom directed California authorities to initiate action to stop issuing new fracking permits for fracking by January 2024, he also asked the California Air Resources Board find pathways to phase out oil extraction by no later than 2045. [CleanTechnica]
California oil pumps, 2006 (CGP Grey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “How To Get A Tesla Model 3 For $25,000 (In California)” • Even though the federal tax credit has already been phased out for Tesla, California still offers a good number of perks to significantly lower the price of a Tesla (or any other electric vehicle, for that matter). These include tax credit programs and cash rebates. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “A Third Of New US Utility-Scale Solar In Next 2 Years Will Be In Texas” • Texas, home to the most wind power capacity in the USA, is expected to add 10 GW of utility-scale solar generating capacity by the end of 2022. According to the EIA, that is a third of the utility-scale solar capacity planned to come online in the country in the next two years. [CleanTechnica]
Utility-scale solar capacity in five states (EIA image)
¶ “US Cities Bought More Renewable Energy Than Ever In 2020” • US local governments bought more renewable energy in 2020 than ever before, according to data from the Local Government Renewables Action Tracker. Nearly 100 cities and counties in 33 states added 3,683 MW of renewable generating capacity in 143 deals, a 23% increase from 2019. [GreenBiz]
¶ “Renewable Energy Industry Commits To Biden’s 50% GHG Reduction Target” • After President Joe Biden set a goal to reduce emissions 50% by 2030, major groups including the American Clean Power Association, American Gas Association, Edison Electric Institute, and Electric Power Research Institute all saw such goals within reach. [Daily Energy Insider]
Have an excitingly easy day.
geoharvey 